State of the Ravens: Running Backs

Welcome back to State of the Ravens! Yesterday, I took a look at the team’s quarterback situation (which is more complex than you’d think)—if you missed it, check it out here. Today, we’re sticking with offense and moving onto running backs. This offseason, the Ravens gathered nearly universal praise from fans and pundits alike for the acquisition of “King” Derrick Henry in free agency, bringing him in on a 2-year deal worth up to $20M. Yet, the team also saw JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards follow Joe Horitz and Greg Roman to Los Angeles to suit up for the Chargers. With all that turnover, let’s see how the Week 1 depth chart could shake out:

Depth Chart

Derrick Henry — Justice Hill — Rasheen Ali — Keaton Mitchell (IR)

Henry is unquestionably the feature back, and his ability to sustain high levels of production throughout his entire career really is a testament to both his talent and durability. Last year, he did see his stats drop a bit… but they were still impressive. The King carried the rock for 1,167 yards, 4.2 a pop, and punched it into the endzone an impressive 12 times. All this came while behind an objectively terrible offensive line, and he’s sure to see his numbers tick up a bit now that he’s running behind blockers in purple and black. Henry noted in a recent press conference that, from a defender’s standpoint, he’s no longer the focal point of the offense, which will only serve to his benefit. Last year, he faced a ton of stacked boxes, and teams can no longer do that, seeing Lamar’s ridiculous success against those looks. Everyone agrees—Henry’s in for a big year.

Behind #22, the depth chart is pretty clear… at the start of the season. Justice Hill will serve as RB2 after putting together a nice 2023 campaign (593 combined yards, 4 total TDs) and 5th-round rookie Rasheen Ali will slot in behind him. Ali is certainly an exciting prospect, exhibiting thrilling burst and good change of direction during his college career. Last season at Marshall, he averaged a whopping 5.4 yards per carry and scored an impressive 16 total touchdowns, putting up over 1,300 scrimmage yards. Ali definitely has game-breaking ability—if given space to operate. He’s not known to be the most physical runner, which means he probably won’t become an every down back in the NFL. But the Marshall product is undeniably a weapon, and one that can thrive in Todd Monken’s system

I feel like I’m forgetting someone… oh yeah, Keaton Mitchell. Mitchell was nothing short of incredible in 2023. As an undrafted free agent out of East Carolina, he averaged 8.4 (!!!) yards per carry and 10.3 (!!!) yards per reception as a rookie. Sure, the sample size is small; Mitchell really didn’t see the field until the middle of the season and went down a few short weeks later after tearing his ACL in Jacksonville. But, when he was in the game, Keaton Mitchell was nothing short of electric. Unfortunately, the aforementioned injury will force him to miss the start of the season, in all likelihood causing a stint on the IR. John Harbaugh, as nondescript as ever, said that Mitchell is progressing well in rehab and is on track to return midseason. The Ravens are praying for an even quicker recovery, because this guy is an absolute game wrecker.

Mitchell’s pending return does muddy the depth chart a bit, however. I doubt he’ll take over Hill’s duties as RB2, but will the Ravens be willing to downgrade Ali to RB4 status? This is tough from a coaching standpoint, especially if Ali is off to a good start; both guys have very similar skillsets. I do believe, though, that a healthy Mitchell will finish the season as RB3 with the chance to contend for the #2 spot next year. Peering further into the future, here’s my best guess as to the franchise’s future plans at the position:

Three-Year Plan

I doubt Derrick Henry will be around in three years; if he is, he likely will be only a shell of his former self. Next year, I expect Keaton Mitchell to continue his ascent and claim RB2, giving the Ravens a nice thunder-and-lightning combo out of the backfield. The futures of Hill, and Ali, though, aren’t as clear. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Ravens took a downhill runner early in the 2025 or ’26 Drafts to become the RB1 of the future.

Thanks for checking in today! Tomorrow, we’ll examine one of 2023’s most improved position groups: wide receivers.

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